1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to data collection systems in a conduit network, such as a pipeline network, used for transferring materials from location to location and, in particular, to a system using remote nodes to collect data relating to the conduit network, the material flowing through the conduit network or the areas surrounding the conduit network.
2. Description of Related Art
Conduit networks, whether aboveground or underground and whether old construction or new construction, are used in various applications to transport and transfer material from one location to another location. For example, a conduit network used in a process application would transfer material, such as a liquid or gaseous material, from one process unit or component to another process unit or component. Often, such conduit and distribution networks are underground, thereby preventing the network from interfering with aboveground operations, structures or other units that may be impacted. Therefore, since these conduit networks are underground, collecting information regarding the conduit network, the area surrounding the conduit network and the material flowing through the conduit network is often difficult and requires extensive labor to gain access to the conduit network.
Particular problems arise in public utility applications. Since a utility distribution system must distribute material, such as natural gas or water, to both business and residences alike, such conduit networks are almost universally underground and already in place, such that the conduits or pipelines do not impact the neighboring structures, enclosures, streets, etc. However, since these utility conduit networks are widespread and highly used, the utility provider requires information about the in situ process variables in their distribution network. This information must have sufficient resolutions so as to permit the utility to better manage the infrastructure of the network. When a utility lays out a new network, a computer model of the network is used to predict the pressures and flows in the system. This allows the utility to size compressors and/or storage facilities in order to provide for the necessary flow and pressure of the distributed material. Once installed, however, the only real-time network monitoring (and control) that occurs in the field is typically at the actual pumping/storage facilities. This hampers material distribution infrastructure management efforts.
Currently, natural gas supplies 20 percent of the world""s energy needs. In the United States, over one million miles of distribution pipelines carry natural gas to almost sixty million homes, representing over 50 percent of the population. In the Energy Information Administration""s Annual Energy Outlook for 1999, forcasted gas consumption by the year 2020 is anticipated to increase by as much as 50 percent. This increase in demand for natural gas will need to be met by a combination of expanded infrastructure and extended use of existing infrastructure. It is economically infeasible to build enough new pipeline to meet this demand. Therefore, the existing and aging infrastructure needs to be managed so as to extend its life and throughput without increasing safety concerns or excessive cost. Also, operators in the gas utility industry presently have little or no information about the operation of their system. This means that such operators are working xe2x80x9cblindxe2x80x9d when diagnosing problems that arise in the conduit network. Therefore, utilities generally react to problems that have occurred and rely on delayed data from gas dispatchers and customer calls. The operator rarely has information about why a problem occurred and has little operational data that can be used to predict and prevent problems in delivery.
In the particular case of natural gas distribution, pressure and flow variables are used to adjust the supply and demand from the field, which is a basic reactive system approach. Additionally, data from every individual gas meter is collected over time and used for billing in an offline process. Comparison of meter and billed volumes and those measured at the supply centers as having been pumped can give some indication of the state of the network. The power meter industry has allowed electrical utilities to make a phone connection with their meter at each dwelling, thereby reading the consumption regularly with minimal manual effort. Radio frequency connections are used in some instances, but such connections are costly and only used in more major installations. However, this is not a real-time network-wide measure. Gas utilities are beginning to realize the importance of automated pipeline management systems, but have no present and implementable technology.
Overall, there is a need in currently operating and future construction distribution and conduit networks for a complete and accurate real-time data collection and communication system. Such a system should describe the status of the delivery network from the pumping or distribution station to the point-of-sale. In the case of natural gas distribution, this point-of-sale would be the customer""s gas meter. Further, such a system should avoid the use of manual labor to collect data from critical points in the distribution network through personnel visits to read data loggers and collect historical operating data. Additionally, such a system should be real-time in data collection, as opposed to the use of off-hour and, hence, non-real-time data. There is a need for a centralized collection, processing and management of remote and distributed data measurements in order to collect and analyze real-time on-demand information, which would result in a substantial improvement in both safety and operational efficiency.
Such real-time process data access over a large network and provided at a central location would help a distribution location or a utility better monitor, control and supply its network with a tailored and configurable approach. Process control of the material supply through the use of real-time data sets would provide information as to size, efficiency and distribution of the material to better balance loads, and would further provide for improved decision-making regarding the expansion or load increase in the future for the network. In addition, such data would allow for instantaneous emergency condition warnings, such as excess flow or pressure, unsafe acoustic noise and/or vibrations, etc. This, in turn, allows for improved detection and reaction and an increase in the safety of the conduit network by reducing third-party damage potential. Also, such a conduit network system can be augmented by, or combined with, a command module allowing for the local activation of sensing actuation devices, which would provide for real-time, centralized control interaction for emergency or maintenance activities. Overall, there remains a need for a conduit network system that increases safety, efficiency and further aids in the distribution networks to meet current and future material consumption needs.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a conduit network system that overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art. It is another object of the present invention to provide a conduit network system that provides a real-time data collection functionality that describes the status of the delivery network. It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a conduit network system that increases efficiency in operations for material distributors, increases the use and management of distribute network information and provides real-time and off-line use of such information in emergency, monitoring and design activities for expanding and upgrading the network to safely meet the demand for the material. It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a conduit network system that provides process control of material supply through the use of collected data in an appropriate command system. It is another object of the present invention to provide a conduit network system that provides information to facilitate predictive maintenance and improve conduit life span. It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a conduit network system that provides information for facilitating improved capacity for the present system. It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a conduit network system that detects safety breaches and third-party interference. It is still another object of the present invention to provide a conduit network system that allows for keyhole installation techniques and node-based data collection, and further allows for both hard-wired, wireless and data extraction device communication between multiple points in the conduit network.
The present invention is directed to a conduit network system for use in connection with a conduit network including multiple lengths of connected conduit for transferring material. The material transferred through the conduit can be in a gaseous, liquid, aqueous, slurry or semi-solid form. The conduit network system includes at least one and typically multiple node elements that are in communication with an inner area of the conduit. The node elements receive, process and communicate data signals that are representative of the user-desired information, which is typically collected at the location of the node element. A system control mechanism is in communication with the node elements and receives the data signals from one or more of these node elements.
In a preferred embodiment, the node elements include a sensor system that is also in communication with the inner area of the conduit. The sensor system is capable of sampling one, and typically multiple, variables of the conduit, the material transferred through the conduit and/or the area adjacent or surrounding the conduit. The sensor system produces data signals that are representative of these variables. These data signals can be representative of flow, pressure, relative humidity, acceleration, temperature, speed, material properties, material analysis, conduit properties, conduit vibration, soil properties, etc.
In another preferred and non-limiting embodiment, the data signals that are received and processed by the node element are communicated to either the system control mechanism, another node element, a data extraction device, a memory storage device, etc. These data signals are transmitted in any number of formats, including wireless, hard-wire, memory medium, radio frequency, acoustic wave, fiber optic, cable, copper cable, telephone line, network line, telecommunications line, infrared and optical. In one embodiment, the data signals are transmitted through the inner area of the conduit in a wireless format, with the conduit serving as a wave guide and wireless communications medium.
The present invention, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with the additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description of exemplary embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.